Season-defining losses for Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas A&M headlined another stunning weekend of college football action. No.2 Ohio State hosted No.5 Indiana in a critical Big Ten showdown. BYU and Colorado slipped up in crucial matchups while Georgia advanced to the SEC title game. With independent Notre Dame likely in thanks to a dominant 49-14 win over Army, how do the weekend's results impact the Power Four conference standings and the increasingly tense College Football Playoff picture?
In the SEC...
Week in, week out, the SEC has been a whirlwind of big-game competition and shock results all season, keeping the college football fan on their toes with pendulum-swinging scorelines. Week 13, the penultimate game of the regular season, may have been the most significant.
Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss, all seen as contenders for the SEC championship in preseason, have all slipped up and seen their playoff hopes placed in jeopardy at different stages of this unpredictable season.
Alabama, conquerors of Georgia and coming into Norman on the back of an impressive win against LSU, were suffocated 24-3 by an opportunistic Oklahoma defense and Jackson Arnold, the freshman quarterback who has rebuilt his confidence having been benched earlier in the season. Three interceptions for Jalen Milroe cost the Crimson Tide dearly and Oklahoma didn't give him the space to make plays on the ground, where he had been so devastating against LSU three weeks ago. It seemed unthinkable that an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff could exclude Alabama. Three defeats for the Tide, at the hands of Vanderbilt, Tennessee and now Oklahoma suggest otherwise.
Joining them with three losses, Ole Miss capitulated, 27-24, against a Florida team who had been so woeful earlier in the year but are now offering their loyal fans a glimpse of future potential. Ole Miss were wasteful, committing three turnovers, dropping five passes and converting just 21% of their third downs. Jaxson Dart, so prolific this season, threw interceptions to end the visitors' last two drives and effectively, their playoff hopes.
The backing of Florida's beleaguered coach, Billy Napier, seems to have injected some welcome late-season into the Gators. Fresh from their upset of LSU last week, Napier's rejuvenated Florida team have now beaten ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks for the first time in sixteen years.
Texas A&M, energised from Mike Elko's arrival as head coach, lost a dramatic game to Auburn, 43-41 in a breathtaking back-and-forth encounter. The Aggies trailed Auburn 21-0 at half time, but rallied and took Auburn to four overtimes, losing out on a two-point play from Payton Thorne to KeAndre Lambert, after Aggies' receiver Amari Daniels dropped Marcel Reed's pass in the end zone.
Despite their loss, Texas A&M still have a shot at making the College Football Playoff if they can beat in-state rival Texas in a titanic Lone Star Showdown next weekend. The winner will advance to the SEC title game.
Making the playoff?
Georgia clinched their place in the SEC title game with a 59-21 thrashing of UMass, while Tennessee remain in the mix after Florida's upset of Ole Miss, who are surely now eliminated. Alabama's third loss means they are unlikely to make the postseason tournament, while either Texas or Texas A&M will join Georgia in the SEC championship game and a chance to make the playoff.
In the Big Ten...
No.2 Ohio State saw off No.5 Indiana, 38-15, in a huge Big Ten playoff encounter in Columbus, ending the Hoosiers' unbeaten record and putting a dent in their playoff chances. The Buckeyes were dominant, with an impressively balanced offense showcasing their ground tandem of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson and a strong receiving corps, all marshalled by the composed Ohio State quarterback Will Howard. It was a special teams play though, a 79-yard touchdown punt return from the Alabama transfer Caleb Downs, that was the standout play. Penn State held on to beat a competitive Minnesota 26-25, and although both out of playoff contention, USC won the battle of Los Angeles, beating UCLA 19-13 and gaining bowl eligibility to take something from a sorry season.
Making the playoff?
No.1 Oregon, still unbeaten, close out the regular season against Washington next weekend knowing they have a place in the Big ten championship game. This is likely to be a rematch with Ohio State, who the Ducks narrowly defeated in Eugene in Week 7. The Buckeyes face old foe Michigan in "The Game" next weekend, but should have done enough to cement their playoff place.
Indiana must hope that the Playoff committee regards their strength of schedule sufficiently to keep them high enough in the rankings. Penn State, narrow winners over Minnesota this weekend, have only one loss (to Ohio State). The Nittany Lions should be in if they beat Maryland next weekend, and could make the conference title game if the Buckeyes slip up against Michigan.
In the Big 12...
Colorado's run to the playoff contention took a bump in the road with their big upset loss, 37-21 to Kansas in Lawrence. The Jayhawks started fast, racking up a 17-0 lead and gained 520 total yards of offense. Heisman favourite Travis Hunter had another two touchdown receptions, but was upstaged by Kansas running back Devin Neal, who scored four touchdowns with 207 rushing yards and 80 receiving yards in a stunning performance.
No.21 Arizona State upset No.14 BYU 28-23, elevating themselves into first place in the Big 12 standings, and No.22 Iowa State outlasted Utah, 31-28. This has created a four-way tie for at the top of the Big 12 standings, with the Cyclones joining Arizona State, Colorado and BYU in contention.
Making the playoff?
It is likely that just the winner of the Big 12 championship will reach the College Football Playoff. In a congested battle to reach the Big 12 title game, Arizona State and Iowa State will make the championship decider if they beat Arizona and Kansas State respectively. Colorado and BYU need some outside help to get there.
In the ACC...
No.13 SMU clinched a place in the ACC championship game on 7th December with a 33-7 win over Virginia, their eighth consecutive win in an impressive debut season in the conference. No.8 Miami eased past Wake Forest, 42-14 and Clemson thrashed The Citadel 51-14, keeping their playoff chances alive.
Making the playoff?
SMU will play either Miami or Clemson in the championship game, from which the winner will enter the playoff. Miami will meet SMU if they beat Syracuse next weekend, while Clemson, having played all their conference games, must hope Hurricanes slip up. The Tigers' loss to Louisville, a team beaten by both Miami and SMU, could prove pivotal.
Rivalry Week in College Football
The college football regular season signs off with one of its most anticipated weekends, Rivalry Week. I will be looking at five key rivalry games over the next week, looking at the history, traditions, trophies and teams in each of these storied encounters.
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